We Found Some Bloodstains

••• Arabella’s POV ••• “Arra… How about making this part into…” Max and I were touring the office building, and I couldn't help but smile as he kept discussing his layout idea excitedly. Suddenly, we heard the ringtone of a phone, and I felt my bag vibrate. I quickly rushed out my phone from my bag and was puzzled by the caller's name flashing on my phone screen. “Who is it?” Max asked. “The werewolf committee,” I answered his question and frowned. Why were they calling me now? Did they want to update me about Abigail’s case? “Pick it up,” Max instructed, and I nodded. I tapped the accept button and placed the phone against my ear. “Hello?” I answered the call in front of Max. There was no point in going away to take this call, as Max would still ask about it after I finished talking to them. “Good afternoon, Princess Arabella. This is John from the werewolf committee,” the person spoke. “Good afternoon, John. Is there anything I can help you with?” I asked calmly. “Princess Arabella, I’m calling to inform you that we have received a video as proof of you hurting Abigail from Lina, her mother. She’s going to sue you for it,” he explained the reason behind his call. “A video?” I frowned. Did she really submit the surveillance video as evidence against me? “Yes,” John answered. “Once it is proven to be true, you might be stripped of your Alpha Princess title and inheritance.” “Alright,” I said because there was nothing else to say, was there? “We’ll update you with the date of the trial later on,” he said next. “Alright. Thank you, John,” I answered. Then we hung up the phone, and I felt Max wrapping his arms around my body. I welcomed his embrace and nestled in his arms, inhaling his unique scent, which strangely could calm me down. “What did they say?” he asked in a gentle and comforting sound as he could sense the shift in my emotions. “He said Lina has reported a video, and she’s going sue me, and also, I might be stripped of my title and inheritance,” I mumbled against his shoulder. “You know,” I continued before he could say anything. “For me, leaving the royal pack is not a big problem. But I’m sad I won't be able to make my Mom proud. She has always hoped I’ll become a female Alpha like her.” Mom, as much as she allowed me to pursue my dreams, had always hoped I would one day follow in her footsteps. She always said being a female Alpha didn't mean I needed to throw away my dream of becoming a doctor. I could become a female Alpha and a doctor at the same time. I had never told anyone about this, but at this moment, in the comfort of his arms, I just blurted it out and maybe hoped that he could comfort me. Being with Max really made me want to not always be strong. Somehow, I had really started to depend on him… Sensing my disappointment, Max tightened his hold around my body and promised, “We won't let their plans succeed, Arra.” I raised my face to look at him, saw the seriousness in his gaze, and felt comforted by it. He lowered his head, but just as we were about to kiss, the ringtone of my phone sounded again. I frowned when I saw Marie’s name on my phone screen. Had the news spread? “Hello, Marie?” I asked the moment I answered the phone. “Princess Arabella, may I know where you are right now?” she asked urgently. “Why?” She never asked me about my location before. “Did something happen at the company?” “No, but there is something I need to show you,” she answered. “Is it important?” I asked her. “Yes. It’s a video about the incident with Abigail,” she said. A video? Was it the same video as the one Lina submitted to the werewolf committee? I looked at Max, who nodded to let me know he was okay with Marie coming here. “I’ll send you my location,” I said and sent her my location when we hung up the phone. “Do you think she’ll show us the video Lina had gotten so we could prepare for the trial?” I asked Max. “Let’s just wait for Marie to come,” he said, and we went down to the ground floor to wait for my assistant to arrive. “Princess Arabella! Alpha Maximillian,” Marie greeted us politely once she got to where we were waiting for her. “Speak,” Max commanded Marie, making me roll my eyes at him. “Don't frighten her,” I mindlinked Max and smiled at Marie. “Princess Arabella, we found some bloodstains on the carpet of your office,” Marie finally spoke. I was surprised. “Bloodstains?” “Yes,” she nodded. “They are the remnants of Abigail’s act.” I frowned when I heard her words. Most of the blood had stained Abigail’s skirt. Did she leave bloodstains on the carpet? “They are small, and I had asked Doctor Nathaniel to investigate it,” Marie said. “You asked Uncle Nate?” I asked in surprise. “Uncle Nate?” Max asked. “Doctor Nathaniel Gardner from the Silent Prowlers Pack,” I told him. “The renowned doctor?” he asked in surprise. “Yes,” I nodded. “He’s one of Mom’s close friends.” “I did,” Marie replied. “Since this is important, and I knew he is someone trusted by the Alpha King and Queen.” It made sense to ask Uncle Nate to help since he could keep a secret for us. “Has he finished investigating?” I asked Marie. “He has. The blood stains... They are not blood at all,” she said. Max and I were shocked to hear it. Not blood at all? But why didn't the doctor and police know about it? “And since it was strange, I was determined to find more evidence to help you,” Marie said before Max and I could ask more about the blood stains. “I remembered a couple of years ago, you had installed two tiny cameras in your office at the desk while clearing out company spies.” I had forgotten about it if she didn't bring it up. “Did you get anything from those cameras?” I asked. She nodded and showed us her phone with a video ready to be played on the screen. I took the phone and tapped the play button, with Max watching together with me. The video showed that when Abigail fell onto the ground, she reached into her dress, pulled out a small pouch filled with red liquid, and placed it between her legs. Her movements were fast and discreet, like she had practiced it so many times. It seemed she had planned this well… I was thrilled when we were watching the video. Abigail probably would never have expected that her perfect plan would be unraveled so quickly. A low growl sounded from beside me, and I saw Max watching the video with his body trembling from anger. I quickly took his hand and mindlinked him, “Max…” My touch and voice brought him back to his senses, and he pulled me into his arms, burying his face in the crook of my neck to calm himself down. “We are okay…” I said in a soothing whisper and caressed his back. “That video will help us…” Meanwhile, Marie was watching us with a faint smile, but then she turned serious. “Princess Arabella, the news of you framing Abi has become a hot topic in the werewolf community,” she said anxiously before taking her phone back, opening the werewolf community social media, and passing it back to me with Max still holding me in his arms. I took her phone and read the news. The comments below that piece of news were all very harsh. They scolded me and said I didn't deserve to be an Alpha Princess for what happened at Abigail and Shawn’s engagement party and the way I had tried to murder her baby. The werewolves even criticized my parents, doubting the way they raised me. And, of course, Max was no exception to those scolding. “Princess Arabella, you have to do something to salvage your reputation,” Marie urged me. My reputation? “Max, do you trust me?” I mindlinked him, and he finally pulled back to look at me. “I’ve told you I trust you unconditionally, Arra…” he whispered the words instead of relying on the mindlink, making me blush since Marie could hear him too. “Well… I want the news to gain more traction for now,” I told him and waited for his reaction with a bit of nervousness because this would affect not only my reputation but his, too. He stilled for a split second before placing his lips against my forehead and murmured against it, “I trust you, Arra. You can do anything you want. I’ll be standing with you. I’ll support your decision.” I couldn't help but smile as I felt my heart warm after hearing his words and felt the trust he had in me. “What about the result of the investigation for the bloodstains?” Marie asked. “Keep it a secret first. Let them talk all they want. Then, when we provide our evidence... The subsequent turnaround would be more impactful,” I told him and Marie with a sly smile.